Good times in Eugene

Back in the ol' stompin' grounds... Armitage Park, in Eugene, is our usual hangout for the beginning of the football season. This year we will not be tailgating at the stadium this year, so we have an alternate plan, two days of tailgating at Armitage! We partied in the park on Friday evening, took the bus in to the the stadium for the game, and followed up with another party on Saturday evening. Good times visiting with a lot of our friends, some who still live in the area and others who have come from other states for the game. 

We didn't have high expectations for excitement during this first game, as the school we played wasn't much of a challenge, but the crowed showed up in full Duck regalia.

Worthy of note is the new Duck Football Performance Center, which one columnist described as "looking like something out of a George Lucas movie", and indeed it does. From Martin Luther King Blvd. it appears to float in space, a little like the Death Star in Star Wars.

In the patio between the facility and the bookstore, however, it becomes a serene space reminiscent of a meditation garden, until all the fans show up that is! The entire complex, consisting of several buildings from previous expansions, has been clad in new materials, most are now flat black to coordinate with the new center, giving the complex a rather intimidating presence. We had limited opportunity for photography but there is a great slide show here that has some wonderful shots of the interior.

We know the area so well that it's very convenient to shop here.... also - no sales tax and because we know where all the stores are. So, between the long lists we've been compiling and the basics of groceries and other housekeeping stuff, we've kept pretty busy running here and there and then trying to figure out how to fit it all into the already crowded RV.

We rewarded ourselves for a day of hard work over the shopping lists with a dinner out at the new Wild Duck Cafe on Coburg. The downtown restaurant, across from Matt Court, is still there, so this is a brand new venture. The interior has been turned into a gallery for the artistic talents of the crew at Metal Zen, a local company. Ducks sail around the room, acting as dividers between two small sections of the restaurant, while below them cattails reflect the soft lighting. Very attractive, but not overdone or distracting.

Attracted to the large wooden sculpture of Sasquatch in the room adjoining our dining room I started talking with one of the wait staff and learned some amazing details.

The figure is carved in the likeness of Glen Falconer, who was the first brewmaster with the Wild Duck brewery in the old days, when they were located on 6th Street downtown. The bigger than life Sasquatch guards what will be the entrance to the bar and possible brewery. The football helmet on his upraised fist conceals a bottle with the Wild Ducky label.

Glen was much beloved by his friends and coworkers and there is an annual Sasquatch beer fest now held in his memory. You can read more about him at the website of a foundation formed to further his interests in brewing. They offer scholarships and support the Sasquatch beer fest, among other activities.

The atmosphere in this new cafe is comfortable, and seems quieter than when it was occupied by BJ's (which has now moved over to VRC). The menu is expanded from the cafe down by the university, and seems a few steps above the average pub food. We'll definitely be back to try out other items on the menu!

We're going to lie low for the next few days and visit some old friends, waiting for the next home game!